Three Main Street buildings in Woodland will get an 'exterior facelift'

Three downtown buildings dotting Main Street are about to get an exterior facelift, according to architect Duane R. Thomson.

The facade at 514 Main St. will reclaim some of its old Woodland charm by putting back in two of the four original half-round windows along the second story, Thomson said.

"We're bringing back a hint of character that used to be in this building," said Thomson, who designed the plans on behalf of the building's owner, Los Gatos-based David Matsuo. "(Matsuo) wanted to upgrade the building aesthetically. It's considered by many to be the ugliest on Main Street right now, so I've heard."

About 80 years ago the site -- located on the south side of Main Street's 500 block, sandwiched between Lulu's Luxe Hair Lounge and what once housed Irongate Motorcycles -- had four very large half-round windows across the building. Thomson proposes to put back in two, each of which is around 11-feet wide. The windows were removed in the mid-1960s and replaced with a stucco wall.

In addition to the windows, there is also seismic ties work in progress to strengthen the structure.

"(Matsuo) wants the building to blend into the old historic downtown. He wants it to look nice and blend with all the other nice renovations that have been happening up and down Main Street," Thomson said.

It's possible the renovated facade may also attract a new tenant for the vacant property. According to Thomson, there have been many interested parties, but no lease has been signed as far as he is aware.

The 514 Main St. property is the last in Woodland to benefit from a facade renovation grant through the city through the now defunct Redevelopment Agency, said Thomson. Matsuo will be matching the grant by half at minimum.

Depending on the weather, the work could be completed within a month.

Meanwhile, Thomson also designed revamped exteriors for two additional downtown businesses: The Daily Democrat at 711 Main St., and Hoblit Chrysler Jeep Dodge, 333 Main St.

Negotiations are under way to sell The Democrat building directly east of Heritage Plaza on the north side of Main Street's 700 block. The sale by Digital First Media, the Democrat's parent company, is in escrow right now. Details are being kept confidential.

If a sale does go through, Digital First would lease a portion of the building for The Daily Democrat's office space. The building's present southeast side entrance could be the newspaper's new main entrance.

"The plan is to put windows in instead of glass blocks so it has a friendly, open character rather than screened off," said Thomson of the proposed design. Awnings will be added above the windows, he said.

Thomson stressed that no final details have been approved since the building is still in escrow.

For Hoblit, as part of its recently approved conditional use permit to remain downtown, the owners are required to make some necessary improvements to the site, including new wood trim and a plaster skim coat over the existing concrete block shear walls; restoring the transom windows and painting the existing building colors selected from a historic color palette.

The auto dealership has been at its new location for nearly two years, an entire block bordered by Fourth Street on the east and Third Street on the west.

"A lot of the historical elements are in that building, but they've just been somewhat ignored over the years. By painting, and by trim, and by surface treatments, we're bringing back some historical elements," Thomson said. "Somewhat minor treatments can radically change the (building's) character."